In the coming weeks we will be focusing periodically on the deadlift. This simple exercise is the purest single event test of strength because it is one of the few lifts of dead weight (weight lying on the ground). In most other lifts the weight changes direction or starts in the air and several other athletic skills such as balance, coordination are emphasized. For example, both Olympic weightlifting events(the snatch and the clean & jerk) require a great deal of athletic skill in addition to strength. Isolating solely strength and muscle recruitment, the deadlift is a great starting point and foundation for these other, more complex lifts. It elicits a powerful neuroendicrine response and will translate into gains in the gym if utilised properly and safely.
A poorly executed deadlift can quickly result in injury: strained muscles, compressed vertebrae, even pinched nerves or damage to the spinal cord. So take great care in learning the deadlift well before moving into heavy loads. A proper deadlift consists of the following:
1. Step up to the bar such that your feet are approximately shoulder width apart and under the bar pointing forward or slightly outward. Looking vertically, the bar should be just touching your legs. This helps maintain a direct vertical drive over the bar.
2. Squat down and grasp the bar. Your hands should be slightly more than shoulder width apart (on the outside of your legs). Actively engage your shoulders to pull the the bar slightly towards you.
3. Lower your hips so that your thighs are parallel to the floor. Straighten your back and look straight ahead.
4. Lift the bar off the ground by forcefully extending your hips and legs. Do not exert force with your arms, this is not an arm exercise. (Note: You can also mentally visualize that you're not trying to lift the bar, but rather trying to drive your legs through the floor. This will force you to extend your legs earlier in the lift and prevent you from raising your hips before the bar comes off the floor. If you raise your hips before the bar, your back will get "rounded", which can lead to injury.) Come to a standing position with upright posture. The bar should just be "hanging" in front of your hips, don't try to lift it any higher. Pull your shoulders back if they are rounded forward.
5. Lower the bar in a controlled manner back to the starting position. Remember to keep the back straight and maintain form while returning to bar to the ground.